Important Watches and Wristwatches

Hong Kong, Hotel Furama, May 28, 1989

LOT 256

Piguet & Meylan, Genève, George Rémond & Cie, goldsmith circa 1820. Chia Ch'ing.

Magnificent and highly important 18-carat gold and enamel pearl set automaton snuff-box with optional pipe or carillon musics. Three-body rectangular case, an extremely fine mythological scene painted in enamel in the manner of Abraham Lissignol on the cover, depicting Faustulus giving Romulus and Remus to their foster mother Acca Larentia. The edge of the lid is set with split pearls, the side panels with 'champlevé' red and blue enamelled scrolled foliage and floral decoration. The bottom lid with a red and turquoise 'champlevé' enamelled decoration in a check pattern, framed by blue scrolled foliage and floral ornament, discloses the automaton scene. Six chiselled automatons and additional scenery in four shades of gold are superimposed on a painted enamel lakeside background with shepherds watering their herd of cattle. On the bank of the animated running stream, a seated lady plays the mandoline on the right of the scene, a dog barks while another dog and a sheep are drinking; standing on the left, a shepherd plays the Pan pipe. The sequence is set in motion by means of a slide. For one sequence, the shepherdess plays her mandoline accompanied by the sound of a 26 blade carillon while the schepherd remains still. In the alternative sequence, the young lady is in repose while the young shepherd plays his instrument to the sound of an eight pipe music. A front slide permits one to choose between one sequence and the other at will. In perfect condition. 80x50x25mm.